| In the round of 16 of the World Cup Houston Stadium in Texas Canada whoachieved unprecedented success by qualifying for this phase, will face Morocco which team is trying to repeat or improve on its memorable semi-final record from 2022. Canada coach Jesse Marsh is betting on extremely aggressive pressing and lightning-fast counterattacks. The main weapon is forward Jonathan David who has already scored a hat-trick against Qatar in the group stage supported on the wing by Alphonso Davis, although there are slight question marks over the captain's fitness. The big blow for the Canadians is the injury to midfielder Ismael Kone which means that Steven Eustaquio will have to control the midfield almost alone. The Moroccans enter the match as favorites. The team has one of the most stable defensive lines in the tournament and vast experience in elimination clashes on the big stage. They showed great nerve in the round of 32, eliminating the Netherlands on penalties. The Atlas Lions are expected to dictate the pace, relying on their creativity and the breakthroughs of Achraf Hakimi. |
